Giant real animals from our past (& present)

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Thank you both. o_o I really didn't want to deal with the notion of a mutant mouse this late in the evening.

[Isabella]

Speaking of rodents, a fossilized skull belonging to a 2000 lb rodent was found in South America. If you thought the wildlife down there is weird now...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22684589/?GT1=10755

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Cool! I'll have to show that one to my department's new Biology hire: I gather that she loves guinea pigs of any size.

[cure]

http://www.independent.co.uk/environmen ... 17237.html

[Coan]

Australia used to have a lot of large animals called mega fauna, we still have quite a few species but nothing the size they used to be.

Check it out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_megafauna

This included 'the thunder bird', a giant kangaroo species that got to be 3m or 7-10ft tall (I've seen a skeleton and they are massive) and a 2.5m long tortoise.

[cure]

Australia used to have a lot of large animals called mega fauna, we still have quite a few species but nothing the size they used to be.

Check it out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_megafauna

This included 'the thunder bird', a giant kangaroo species that got to be 3m or 7-10ft tall (I've seen a skeleton and they are massive) and a 2.5m long tortoise.

" * Megalania prisca was a giant, carnivorous goanna-like lizard that might have grown to as long as seven metres, and weighed up to 1,940 kilograms (Molnar, 2004).
* Wonambi naracoortensis was a non-venomous snake of five to six metres in length, an ambush predator at waterholes which killed its prey by constriction.
* Quinkana sp., was a terrestrial crocodile which grew from five to possibly 7 metres in length. It had long legs positioned underneath its body, and chased down mammals, birds and other reptiles for food. Its teeth were blade-like for cutting rather than pointed for gripping as with water dwelling crocodiles. It belonged to the Mekosuchine subfamily (all now extinct). It was discovered at Bluff Downs in Queensland.
* Liasis sp., (Bluff Downs Giant Python), lived during the Pliocene epoch, grew up to ten metres long, and is the largest Australian snake known. It hunted mammals, birds and reptiles in riparian woodlands. It is most similar to the extant Olive Python (Liasis olivacea).[6]
* Meiolania was a genus of huge terrestrial cryptodire turtle measuring 2.5 m (8 ft 4 inches) in length, with a horned head and spiked tail.
"

[Lord Soth]

I think Animal Planet had a special on some of these critters a while back. It was pretty cool. Especially Megalania and that giant eagle in New Zealand that would swoop down and crush people.

[cure]

Supersized mice
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... redspecies

[DarkSoldier]

I've been fond of bathynomous, the giant isopod, myself.

Picture a 14-inch long, 3 pound, pink wood louse.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

The History Channel is doing a marathon of MonsterQuest episodes today and tomorrow. If you've missed out on giant fish, kraken, or other topics of interest, check their listings.

[cure]

I've been fond of bathynomous, the giant isopod, myself.

Picture a 14-inch long, 3 pound, pink wood louse.

I wonder if Lovecraft knew about these . . . they look kind of familiar . . .

[cure]

An egg eating dragon of sorts: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/200 ... edinosaurs

[cure]

Big fish and source of sea-monster sightings:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/ ... redspecies

[cure]

"Ancient flying reptile bigger than a car": http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/200 ... erthanacar

[cure]

Dinner plate sized spider plus cynide wielding millipede: http://www.yahoo.com/s/1002274